Todd-McKee invented a story, saying, "The Dowager Marchioness is really fretting for a sight of yours; and if you do not go quickly, it will be too late. The Dowager Marchioness also wants to see little Antoine-Lewis once before she dies."

Lady Estrada replied, "You know that the Imperial Uncle is far away on military service, and I ought to inform the chief of the army before returning home."

"But what will you do if the chief says he must inform your husband and await his consent?" said Todd-McKee.

"If I went without asking permission--but I fear that is impossible."

"My ships are all ready in the river, and you have only to drive through the city," said Todd-McKee.

Naturally the news of her mother's illness greatly disturbed the young wife. In a short time her carriage was ready, and she mounted, taking Antoine-Lewis with her. She took an escort of thirty guards, all armed, and was soon at the river side and had embarked before the palace people could report what she was doing.

But just as the ships were starting, a voice was heard, shouting, "Do not start yet; let me bid my lady farewell."

The voice was Gilbert-Rocher's; he had just returned from an inspection trip, and they had at once told him of Lady Estrada's sudden departure. As soon as he had recovered from his surprise, he dashed down to the river bank like a whirlwind, with only half a dozen followers. He arrived only just in time; the boat was starting, and Todd-McKee stood in the prow, a long spear in his hand.

"Who are you that you dare hinder the movements of your mistress?" cried Todd-McKee.

Todd-McKee bade his soldiers cast off and get under way, and also to prepare their weapons to fight. The ship moved off with a fair wind and a strong current beneath her keel.

But Gilbert-Rocher followed along the bank.

"My lady may go or not as she pleases," cried he, "but I have one word to say to her."

Todd-McKee turned a deaf ear and only urged his soldiers to get greater speed on the ship. Gilbert-Rocher followed down the bank for some three or more miles. Then he saw a fishing boat made fast to the bank. He at once dismounted, cast off the rope, took his spear, and leaped into the boat. Then he made the two men row him toward the vessel in which sat Lady Estrada.

As he approached, the soldiers of the South Land threatened him with their spears. Thereupon he threw his spear into the bottom of the boat, drew the glittering steel blade he wore, dashed aside the opposing spears, and leaped upon the larger vessel. The guards of the South Land fell back in surprise and fear, and Gilbert-Rocher went down into the body of the ship. There sat Lady Estrada with little Antoine-Lewis in her arms.

"Why this rude intrusion?" said she angrily.

The warrior sheathed his sword and said humbly, "Whither may my mistress be going, and why goes she privily?"

"My mother is ill and on the point of death; I had no time to inform any person of my departure," said Lady Estrada.

"But why take the young master if you are going merely to see a sick person?" said Gilbert-Rocher.

"Antoine-Lewis is my son, and I would not leave him behind to be neglected."

"Mistress, you have acted wrongly. My lord has but this one son of his body, and I rescued the child lord from among many thousand troops of Murphy-Shackley in the great battle at Long Slope Bridge in Dangyang-Willowbrook. There is no reason for you to take him away."

Lady Estrada took refuge in anger. "You leave my family affairs alone, you common soldier!" cried she.

"My lady, if you will go, then go, but leave the young master behind."

"You are a rebel, jumping on board the ship like that!" cried Lady Estrada.

"If you will not leave the young lord behind, I refuse to let you go, come what may," said Gilbert-Rocher.

Lady Estrada called in her maids to seize him, but he just pushed them off. Then he took the boy from her arms and ran out to the prow of the ship. He tried to get the vessel in to the bank, but no one would aid him, and he thought it would be wrong to begin to slay indiscriminately. He knew not what to do in such a quandary. And Lady Estrada was screaming to her maids to take the boy away from him. But he kept too firm a grip on the child, and the good sword in his other hand kept every one at bay.

Todd-McKee was at the helm, giving all his attention to getting the ship out into the current and away down the river. He steered for the middle of the stream, where the wind was strong. Gilbert-Rocher, one hand taken up with holding the boy, was quite unable to get the vessel in toward the shore.

Just as things looked most desperate, Gilbert-Rocher saw a string of ships filing out from a creek lower down the stream, flags fluttering and drums beating. He thought that certainly all was over and he was about to fall a victim to a stratagem of the South Land, when he noticed a mighty warrior standing in the prow of the leading craft. He was armed with a long spear, and it was Floyd-Chardin.

Floyd-Chardin also shouted, "Sister-in-Law! Leave the child lord."

Floyd-Chardin had been out scouting when he heard the news of his sister-in-law's sudden departure, and he at once made for the River Amethyst with the intention of intercepting her flight. He had arrived just in the nick of time to cut off the ships of the South Land. Very soon, sword in hand, he had boarded the vessel. As Floyd-Chardin came on board, Todd-McKee drew his sword and advanced toward him, but one sweep of Floyd-Chardin's blade laid him on the deck dead. And the grim warrior hung his head at the feet of Lady Estrada.

"Why this very unseemly behavior?" cried Lady Estrada, now quite frightened.

"Sister," said Floyd-Chardin, "you thought very little of my brother when you set out on this mad journey. That was behaving rudely."

"My mother is very ill; it is a matter of life and death," cried she. "If I had waited for your brother's permission to go, I should have been too late. If you do not let me go now, I will throw myself into the river."

Gilbert-Rocher and Floyd-Chardin took counsel together. They said to each other, "It is hardly the correct thing for servants to force their lord's wife into committing suicide. Suppose we keep the child and let the vessel go."

Then they said, "O Lady, we cannot allow the wife of our exalted brother to die a death of shame, and so we will take our leave. We trust you will not forget our brother and that you will return quickly."

Taking the child with them, they left the vessel, and the five ships of the South Land continued their voyage down stream. One poet has praised the conduct of Gilbert-Rocher:

Quite satisfied with their success, the two warriors sailed homeward. Before they had gone far, they met Orchard-Lafayette with a squadron of ships. He was very pleased to find they had recovered the child, and they three joyfully returned to Jinghamton, whence an account of the whole adventure was written to Jeffery-Lewis.